


Underneath The Tree

by TheGirlWhoWearsBlack



Series: My Christmas Jukebox [11]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Christmas Presents, Christmas Tree, Clumsy Spencer Reid, F/M, Marriage Proposal, Multi, Secrets, Surprises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:48:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28221930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGirlWhoWearsBlack/pseuds/TheGirlWhoWearsBlack
Summary: Spencer got her the perfect Christmas present, one that will change their lives forever. The only problem is that he lost it.
Relationships: Spencer Reid/Reader, The BAU Team & Reader
Series: My Christmas Jukebox [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2036053
Comments: 3
Kudos: 44





	Underneath The Tree

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Welcome to day 11 of "My Christmas Jukebox": 12 days, 12 one shots inspired by 12 of my favorite Christmas songs. Just one more to go! 
> 
> Today's shot is inspired by the song "Underneath The Tree" by Kelly Clarkson.  
> Enjoy!

_ Ding dong. _

The unmistakable sound of the doorbell disrupted the silence of the street. It was Christmas morning, and everyone, absolutely everyone was home.

Spencer glanced at YN for a couple of seconds. She looked so pretty in her ugly Christmas sweater and handmade beanie. Her nose and cheeks were rosier than usual due to the cold. All he wanted to do was to hug her tight. This was going to be an extra special Christmas. He hadn’t weighed how important it was going to be until he finally saw her standing by his side while waiting for Rossi to open up the door.

“What?” She asked when she caught him staring. “Did I mess up my makeup?”

“No, no, everything is fine. You look perfect.” He answered right away. “I’m just-”

It was then when he remembered that he had left the most important gift inside the car.

“Can you carry these?” Spencer gave YN the big bag with all of the team’s gifts. “I forgot something in the car. I’ll be right back.”

YN nodded and carried the bag as she watched him walk through the yard to their car.

“YN!” Rossi’s voice reached her ears making her turn to face back to the door. “I’m glad you could make it.”

He hugged her for a couple of seconds and allowed her in. YN left the bag on one of the drawing room benches while she left her coat on the closet.

“Thank you so much for having us today. Spencer is just looking for something he left in the car.”

“Oh, please, you guys are my family, and Christmas is a day to spend with family.” Rossi answered. “I saw you guys brought gifts.”

“Yeah, do you mind if I put them under the tree?”

“Please, go ahead. Everyone is in the living room, make yourself at home. I’ll wait for Reid”

“Thanks, Dave.”

YN smiled at him one more time and made her way through Rossi’s house to the living room where everyone awaited, just like Rossi had said. Prentiss, Morgan, Penelope, Hotch & Jack and JJ with Will and Henry. Everyone was chatting, sharing treats and drinks. The tree was magnificent, it was everything YN expected from a guy like Rossi. The man knew how to host a party.

“Merry Christmas everyone.” YN greeted them and placed the gifts underneath the tree with the rest.

“Merry Christmas, YN. Where’s the kid?” Morgan asked her.

“Uh, Spencer forgot something in the car, he should be here any second.”

“I’m gonna go check with him.”

“Sure.”

YN sat in an available spot on the couch. Soon, she was approached by Will, JJ’s husband and YN’s partner in D.C. Metro P.D. 

“Merry Christmas, Will.”

“Merry Christmas, YN. How’s it going?” He asked while sitting down by her.

“Fine, really good.” She answered with a huge smile. “I still have no leads on the Sonny case but will figure something out.”

“I was just going to ask about that. My buddy Peters might help, he has a bar down Westley and I think that it might be useful to do some rounds there.”

“Isn’t Peters the guy with the eight guinea pigs?”

“Yeah.”

Will chuckled and opened his mouth to answer, only to be interrupted by his wife planting herself in the middle of them. JJ placed her hands over their forearms, closed her eyes and threw her head back with annoyance.

“Can you guys please not talk about work today?”

“Sorry, JJ.” YN apologized with amusement.

“It’s fine. I mean, the team and I are guilty of the same sin sometimes.”

“Sometimes?” Will acted offended.

“A lot of times. Alright? I’m sorry.”

The three laughed and chit chatted for some time longer until Henry called for Will so they could play soccer against Hotch and Jack, leaving JJ alone with YN. As a new spot in the couch was available, both Prentiss and Penelope forced themselves in it. The four women sat there in silence.

“Man, I can’t believe you and Will still have stuff to talk about.” Prentiss talked first, breaking the ice. “You guys see each other every single day at work, meanwhile, here we are, we only gather like once a month with YN, and have nothing to chat about.”

“Yeah. YN you see my husband more than I do.” JJ joked.

“And you see my boyfriend more than I do.” YN responded looking at her.

“You should swap jobs.” Penelope suggested with amusement.

“Or men.” Prentiss joked, making the girls laugh.

“Right now is not a good time for swapping jobs, I’m doing my sarge’s exam early next year.”

“No way! You’re going for it?” JJ opened her eyes surprised and hugged YN for a couple of seconds. “Congratulations. Are you excited?”

“I don’t know.”

“Bad sign.” Prentiss mumbled and shrugged her shoulders. “If you  _ ‘don’t know’ _ something, then the answer is no. What’s up?”

“I really like being on the field, I love being a detective and if I pass my exam and become a sergeant, field work becomes secondary.”

“True.” JJ agreed and sighed. “Then if you don’t want to be a sergeant why are you doing the exam in the first place?”

YN took a moment to arrange her ideas and be able to answer.

“Well, I feel like I want to be more than a metro P.D. detective.”

“And you should.” Prentiss nodded and raised her glass towards YN. “You went to law school, right?”

YN nodded and shrugged her shoulders trying to dismiss it.

“Yeah, and we have worked cases with you as leading detective, you are great on the field.”

“I agree with JJ. You’re very talented, and I’m in no way diminishing detectives but your potential should be used elsewhere.”

“Like the FBI.” JJ suggested. “You fit the candidate’s profile perfectly, have experience and knowledge. It is a matter of going through the training.”

“I second that idea.” Penelope nodded. “We can make it happen.”

“I thought there was a ‘no-fraternizing’ policy in the Bureau. Spencer and I have been together for four years, I’m not about to mess up with that only to join the FBI.”

“That’s bureaucratic bullshit. Trust me. We can get around it.” Prentiss assured her while throwing an arm around YN’s shoulders. “If you’re up for it, we can start the process for next year’s class.”

YN loved being a detective in D.C.’s Metro P.D., she loved working at her precinct and hanging out with Will. But she always felt like she could do a bit more. Joining the FBI seemed to be a great opportunity for her, yet she was scared that by doing that, she would somehow affect her relationship with Spencer. Trying wouldn’t hurt.

“Uh, you know what? Let’s do it. Might as well try. Right?”

The three agents cheered at YN’s decision.

“Let’s toast to that. I’m going to get some eggnog. Anyone?”

“Emily, is ten in the morning.” JJ nagged her.

“So what? It’s Christmas. Rules don’t apply.” She stood up and made a little happy dance. “I’m going to get us all some. Where are the guys, by the way?”

* * *

Emily pushed the kitchen’s door with her back, then turned around and jumped slightly in surprise when she saw Morgan, Rossi, Reid and Hotch gathering around the island. The conversation they were having seized as soon as they spotted her. The atmosphere felt tense and serious, as if something was wrong. She immediately assumed the worst.

“Please don’t tell me we have a case” Prentiss mumbled and slapped her forehead. “It’s Christmas for Christ’s sake!”

The men exchanged glances with each other, they were communicating without using any words. Finally, Hotch turned to Prentiss and answered.

“We don’t have a case. Don’t worry.”

“Then, what’s up with the long faces?”

Morgan opened his mouth to talk but didn’t when Reid gave him a deadly look.

“We need to tell her, Reid, she might be able to help.” He insisted.

“No, the less people know about it, the better.” Spencer answered firmly.

“Wow, you know that makes me want to know even more, right?” Prentiss raised her brow and crossed her arms over her chest. “What happened?”

“Nothing happened, Emily, please do whatever you came here to do and go back with YN.”

“Reid.” Hotch called him out. “She might know something.”

Emily frowned, she was confused about what was going on and why was Reid behaving so weird and rude. His face was the one of someone who just realized he had messed up badly, but it was not because of what he said to her, but about something that happened before she entered the kitchen. Maybe it was the reason half of the team was having a secret meeting.

“Know something about what?”

“Don’t. Say. A. Word.” Spencer threatened Morgan when he saw he was about to spill the beans to Prentiss.

“Spencer lost a present.” Rossi explained, not caring about Spencer’s threats. “YN’s present.”

Prentiss’s frown relaxed when she realized what the whole thing was about. A missing gift didn’t seem as something everyone should be freaking out about. She understood that Spencer losing his girlfriend’s present was unfortunate, yet she couldn’t make sense of why it was such a big deal to keep it a secret. She was going to find out eventually, and knowing YN, she was not going to get mad at Spencer. The woman loved him to pieces.

“Ok. Why didn’t you want me to know?” she questioned Reid.

“Because-”

“Morgan.” Spencer interrupted him.

Derek only glanced at him before sighing deeply and continued:

“Because Pretty Boy here is going to propose to YN, and the present he lost is-”

“The ring.” Prentiss connected the dots. She closed her eyes and pressed the back against the nearest wall. “Oh shit, Spencer. How did you lose it? Where did you lose it?”

“If I knew, it wouldn’t be lost.” He sassed back and rubbed his face with annoyance. “Look, I’m sorry, it’s not you. I’m just -I have to find that ring.”

Prentiss nodded as a way to accept his apology. She understood the pressure he was going through and didn’t take his reaction personally.

“When did you realize you didn’t have it?” Emily asked him.

“I put the box in my pocket when YN and I left the apartment, so I’m sure I didn’t leave it there.” He elaborated. “We were at Rossi’s porch when I checked my pocket and it wasn’t there anymore.”

“Alright, so it must be somewhere in the car or front yard, yes?”

“Most likely.” Morgan agreed. “Rossi and Reid already checked the car.”

“We haven’t been able to comb the front yard. It’s snowing and the snow layer is getting thicker by the second.” Hotch added. “we need to move now before it gets harder to spot.”

“So why aren’t you out there?”

“Because our genius here panicked and we needed to calm him down first.” Morgan rolled his eyes and passed an arm around the mentioned shoulders.

“Hey, relax, buddy.” Emily tried to calm Spencer’s nerves. “Worst case scenario; we wait for the snow to thaw and you propose another day.”

“I don’t want to propose a different day, it has to be today.” Spencer snapped. “And I don’t want YN to find the ring before I ask her the question…”

“Ok, ok, we’re finding the ring today, no matter what. What’s our next move, then?”

She asked, instinctively turning towards Hotch. The rest of the team did the same as they were all used to following orders from him. Hotch furrowed his brow while thinking of a plan.

“Here’s what we’re going to do; Prentiss, go back to YN, you’ve been here way too much time, she’s going to get suspicious. I will go back with Jack and tell him to ask YN and the girls to build a snowman with us in the backyard. Prentiss, you’ll be there undercover, your task is to make sure they all agree to go to the backyard to build the snowman with us. We will keep YN busy while Reid, Morgan and Rossi search the front yard for the box. Any questions?” Hotch stared at everyone, they all nodded in agreement. “Let’s get that ring back.”

* * *

Spencer had tried to keep it together as best as he could while Rossi and Morgan helped him to find the box that contained the engagement ring, he planned on giving YN. But when the minutes went by, the snow grew thicker and not even the shovels helped, he began to panic again. He kneeled in the snow, using his own hands to dig desperately. Derek approached him and placed his hand over Spencer’s shoulder trying to comfort him.

“Hey, Reid, calm down.”

“I need to find it, Derek. How is it that we can’t find a stupid box wrapped in bright red paper?”

“Maybe you dropped it before you got in your car.”

“Don’t say that!” Spencer yelled in a high-pitched tone.

“Was it expensive?”

“Maybe I can buy another one if we can’t find the one you got.” Rossi offered.

“It is not about the money, guys.”

Rossi and Morgan watched Spencer get up from the floor. There was no trace of the urgency he had in his voice, instead, it sounded sad. His eyes were the ones of a lost puppy and his bottom lip twitched softly.

“Then what’s it about?” Morgan asked.

“I really wanted to propose today.”

“But why? I mean, Christmas is nice but you can always propose any other day.”

“Because, Christmas, six years ago I realized I was in love with YN.”

Rossi and Morgan looked at each other confused.

“Wait, I thought that YN and you had been together for four years, not six.”

“Yes. But I fell in love with her way before that.” He explained Morgan who simply chuckled as if what Spencer just said was a joke.

“Wait. If you really fell in love with YN six years ago, why didn’t you make a move until two years later?”

“’Cause I was scared. Just like I am now.” Spencer mumbled. “Scared that she was going to reject me. Scared that I was going to get made fun of for even trying…”

“Reid, how can you say that? We would’ve never made fun of you.” Derek shook his head.

“Yeah, well, I don’t know anymore. All I care is that this is an important date for me, and for her. I wanted it to be perfect but I had to mess up.”

“If you really want to propose today, you don’t really need a ring to do it.” Rossi added while scrunching his shoulders. “When I married my third wife, we did it in a Las Vegas chapel with an Elvis impersonator…what I’m trying to say is that the way you ask her, with or without the ring doesn't really matter. What matters is that you guys are in love with each other.”

“What if she says no?”

“What makes you think she’s going to say no?” Morgan inquired. “That woman loves you, genius.”

“I know. I love her too.”

“It’s ok to be nervous but you have to suck it up, be a man and ask her.” Rossi sentenced with a final clap. “The ring obviously isn’t here. I suggest we go inside with the rest and enjoy Christmas.”

“Alright.” Spencer agreed and inhaled deeply. “We’ve lost enough time already.”

* * *

“Hey, it’s everything alright?” YN whispered in Spencer’s ear as soon as he took a seat by her side on the couch.

After half an hour of playing in the snow, the boys wanted to go back inside to eat cookies and drink hot cocoa while opening gifts.

YN asked Prentiss, Hotch, JJ, Will, Penelope, everyone if they had seen Spencer or knew where he was. To which Prentiss replied saying that he was hanging out with Morgan and Rossi, talking about ‘ _ dude stuff _ ’. She didn’t mind Spencer spending time with his friends, but it was unusual for him to just disappear without saying a word.

When Spencer finally joined the rest followed by Morgan and Rossi, YN immediately picked up that something was off. She knew Spencer too well to know that he was disgruntled.

“It’s alright. I just-”

“We lost a gift and were looking for it.” Morgan explained, earning one of Spencer’s deadly stares. He shrugged his shoulders dismissing it. “Maybe you’ve seen it, YN.”

“Was it a small box wrapped in red bright paper by any chance?”

Spencer’s eyes widened when his girlfriend perfectly described the present he had been searching for the entire morning. He nodded repeatedly.

“Yes, that’s it. How do you-?”

“You must’ve dropped it in the car, Spence. I picked it up and put it in the bag with the other gifts.” YN said as if it was no big deal, yet again, for her, it wasn’t.

“Where’s it now?”

“Underneath the tree with the other presents.”

Spencer stood up from the couch and searched in between all of the unopened boxes as well as the pieces of torn wrapping paper from the presents Jack and Henry had already unwrapped until he reached the tiny box. He held it as if it was his most precious possession.

By that point, everyone in the room had noticed Reid’s strange behavior and urgency to find the tiny box. They all paid attention to what he was doing carefully, like nothing else mattered.

“I’ve been looking for this all morning.” Spencer let out with a huff.

“Why didn’t you ask me earlier?” YN questioned in between chuckles from Spencer’s reaction. Then it hit her. “Oh, wait. Because it was for me. Wasn’t it?”

Spencer turned around to face her, he pressed his lips together nervously and nodded.

“If I asked you and it turned out that it was actually lost, then I would be a terrible boyfriend and I- I rather spend hours looking for it in the snow than to disappoint you, YN.”

The way Spencer looked at her showed how heartbroken he was solely by the idea of not giving her a present. YN’s heart scrunched seeing him that way. She got close to him and kneeled by his side.

“Spence, I really don’t care about any gifts, they mean nothing if you aren’t with me.” She passed her arms around his neck. “I do much rather you spend time with me on Christmas day than whatever is inside of that box.”

“Well, wait to you see what’s inside.” Prentiss said underneath her breath as she clinked her glass against Hotch’s, who had a small smirk of complicity.

JJ and Penelope looked at them, puzzled about the meaning of those words. They were almost never left out of the team’s schemes. This was a first.

“Why did Emily say that?” Penelope whispered to Morgan who didn’t answer and chuckled mischievously.

“Yeah, why did Emily say that?” YN asked Spencer while pulling apart to see his eyes.

Spencer glimpsed at Prentiss who scowled and attempted to hide behind Rossi and Hotch. He wasn’t mad at her, in fact, somehow it was the push he needed to finally do it. He gave YN the present.

“Open it.”

Hesitantly, YN grabbed the present and unwrapped it carefully. She then looked at her friend’s faces skeptically, trying to find out any clues that might help her figure out what was the fuss about. Hotch smiling, Emily giggling, Rossi and Derek watching her every move, JJ, Penelope and Will focused more on the present itself than her. Even Jack and Henry were behaving in some sort of complicity with the grown-ups. She finally looked back at Spencer, who was anxiously watching her face.

Once the paper was off, YN met a velvety box, a classic jewelry container. A knot formed in her stomach and throat. It could be a pair of earrings, a bracelet…Spencer had never cared about jewelry. In four years of relationship, he had never given her any sort of jewelry because he knew that she didn’t care about it either. There was only one piece of jewelry she could think of that would make Spencer behave the way he was.

YN felt her eyes watering and tears already falling down her cheeks. Her hands were shaking so much she couldn’t even manage to open the box. Spencer’s hands covered hers trying to calm her down. He took the container away from her.

“YN.”

He called her name, making her to finally look up at him.

Spencer was on one knee, right in front of her. His hazel eyes shined brighter than ever. She could tell he was nervous by the way his Adam’s apple moved up and down repeatedly as he swallowed.

YN heard someone gasping, she wasn’t sure who and honestly didn’t care.

“I can’t even begin to explain how much you mean to me, YN.” Spencer said, fighting his own voice against cracking. “I can spit facts, statistics, numbers. I can explain quantum physics and more, yet I can put into words what I feel for you other than I love you with every piece of my being.”

“Oh my God…” Penelope cried as low as she could.

“I love you too.” YN forced out of her midst her silent sobbing.

“Would you like to marry me?” Spencer spat out without thinking twice at the same time that he opened the box and revealed the beautiful ring inside.

YN threw herself at him with such strength that made him fall, she hovered over him and pressed her lips against his in a warm, sweet kiss. The two giggled out of giddiness and nervousness once they pulled apart.

“I’d love to, Spence.”

A big smile appeared in his visage as happiness invaded his body and his muscles relaxed. They sat down again, making it more comfortable for Spencer to slide the ring on YN’s finger.

“Now I get why you didn’t want to ask me about it. Spence, it’s gorgeous. Thank you so much.”

“Congratulations!” Prentiss yelled breaking the spectator’s silence. “That was really cute.”

“I agree. Congratulations to both of you.” Hotch smiled and padded Spencer’s back.

“Aguri!” Rossi exclaimed. 

“Thank you.” YN answered as she grinned. “Wait, you guys were all in this too?”

“Uh, kind of, we helped Spencer look for the ring.” Morgan talked. “Feel a bit stupid now that we know it was underneath the tree this whole time, but hey, anything for love, am I right?”

“I helped too.” Jack jumped in YN’s direction and hugged her from behind. “My dad told me to distract you.”

“And it worked, thank you.” She answered while caressing Jack’s arms. “All of you, for helping Spencer out.”

“I feel a little left out.” Penelope called everyone out as she stood up from the couch. “Everyone knew except JJ, Will and I.”

“Actually.” JJ interrupted her. “Will and I knew that Spence was proposing, we just didn’t know he had lost the ring. Sorry.”

“I feel really offended, and the only way to make up for this is if you, my dear YN, make me your maid of honor. Or at least one of your bridesmaids.”

“Of course.”

Spencer passed an arm around YN and pulled her closer to him. Enjoying the moment as they sat underneath the tree, newly engaged.

“Wait.” Henry called everyone’s attention. “Uncle ‘Pence is getting married?”

Song: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfF10ow4YEo>

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!  
> Please let me know what you think <3
> 
> The last shot, day 12 of My Christas Jukebox will be posted on Christmas Eve! Can't believe it is almost over.   
> Have an amazing holiday season and please be safe!  
> Love, A.


End file.
